I reside in a chilly mountainous region that relies on stoves to beat the winter cold. This winter, I got a new Olmar, a diesel-powered heating machine. As fuel prices in our country (Lebanon) are escalating, I wanted to assess fuel consumption per operating hour, thereby gaining insights into its budgetary needs.
Two days after using the Olmar, I wanted to check on its fuel consumption. In other words, I have to estimate the amount of remaining fuel in the tank. I looked thoroughly at the Olmar to check how I could assess the fuel tank’s level. The tank is opaque and lacks any indication that marks the remaining level of diesel in it and thus assess the amount of fuel consumed.
To estimate the amount of remaining diesel, I got a long wooden skewer and dipped it into the tank. To my surprise, the tank was deep, and the wooden skewer (we call it Sheesh in Arabic) fell into it. I was horrified; the wooden skewer might close the gasoline way to the combustion area entrance. I have to pull it out of the tank. After the initial attempt with a long wooden skewer failed, I employed a taller, hooked iron shish (which has a hook at its top) to help me get the wooden one from the diesel tank, which, to my dismay, also ended up inside. I lost two skewers, and keeping them in the tank will affect its functionality. Concerned about the impact on functionality and safety. How can I take them out? The opening on the top, where I dropped the skewers is narrow! My hand doesn’t fit into it!
Afterwards, The science coordinator’s “Ahaa ” moment has come. I employed a magnet and skillfully maneuvered it along the outer surface, successfully retrieving the iron stick. However, the wooden stick posed a more elusive challenge due to its non-magnetic property. But it is wood! And wood floats on the diesel! Putting my thinking cap on, I added more gasoline until the wooden stick floated to the surface, allowing me to retrieve it by hand. In these situations, I harnessed the principles of buoyancy and magnetism to overcome the unexpected setbacks in the maintenance of my heating apparatus. Thanks to the basic school physics that helped me solve real-life problems!
Meta Title Tag: Using Magnetism and Buoyancy in Real Life Physics to Solve Everyday Problems | Science at Home
Meta Description: Explore how magnetism and buoyancy in real-life physics can be used to solve everyday problems and enrich your understanding of science at home.
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